Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparacoho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparacoho’, characterized by its vining plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; medium-sized white-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla×amabilis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPARACOHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla×amabilis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparacoho’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vining and freely-branching Mandevilla plants with numerous white-colored flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2004, of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M-7, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, since November, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparacoho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunparacoho’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Vining plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Medium-sized white-colored flowers.     -   6. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla are rounded         whereas petal apices of plants of the female parent selection         are acute.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla are rounded         whereas petal apices of plants of the male parent selection are         truncate.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla ‘Sunmandeho’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,556. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of ‘Sunmandeho’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter lateral branches         than plants of ‘Sunmandeho’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter internodes than         plants of ‘Sunmandeho’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Sunmandeho’.     -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunmandeho’.     -   5. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Sunmandeho’.     -   6. Petal apices of plants of the new Mandevilla were rounded         whereas petal apices of plants of ‘Sunmandeho’ were cuspidate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunparacoho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sunparacoho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under commercial practice. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla×amabilis ‘Sunparacoho’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M-7, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Mandevilla×amabilis identified as code number M-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six             weeks at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Vining plant habit; vigorous growth             habit; freely branching habit.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 65.8 cm. Diameter:             About 4.4 mm. Internode length: About 3.9 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young: Close to             145A. Color, mature: Close to 199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base: Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144D. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than N144A; venation,             close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 144D; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2.1 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             arranged in axillary racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly;             freely flowering habit with about six to eight flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             continuously from early summer to late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.4 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and             five-parted; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About             7.8 cm. Depth (length): About 6.8 cm. Throat diameter: About             1.6 cm. Tube length: About 4.7 cm. Tube diameter,             mid-section: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, base: About 3.5             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 6.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 155B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused at the base. Petal length: About 3.7 cm. Petal             width: About 3.4 cm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal             apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate.             Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to NN155D. Petal, when opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D. Throat: Close to             14A. Tube: Close to NN155A.         -   Corona.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals.             Sepal length: About 5.8 mm. Sepal width: About 2.6 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Truncate.             Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color: Immature, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144D. Mature, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:             Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,             connivent. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 8             mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 15D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 18C. Pistils: Quantity:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style color:             Close to 150D. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: Close to             154C. Ovary color: Close to N144C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed     to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to     about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparacoho’ as illustrated and described. 